Pistachio harvest drops by 40pc in Badakshan

FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): The pistachio crop harvest decreased by 40 percent in northeastern Badakhshan province this year compared to last year’s yield, local officials said on Tuesday.

Noor Mohammad, natural resources head at the provincial agriculture department, told Pajhwok Afghan News in an exclusive interview that pistachio harvests reached 600 tonnes this year in Badakhshan.

However, in past years, the average yield touched the 1000 tonnes figure. He cited warming up of earth and climate change as factors behind the decreased harvest.

Mohammad said seasonal windstorms and warm weather also damaged and affected the crop in June, when pistachio crop usually grew.

“In the past few decades of war, the pistachio forests were badly damaged by powerful men as 50 percent of rhe forests were cut down. But we with support of the ministry of agriculture and people have been able to again cultivate 252 hectares of land with pistachio and revive the forests.”

He said it was decided that pistachio seeds would be cultivated over the lost areas later this solar year and 1397 and 1398 years.

He said pistachio forests area had reached 16,000 hectares in Badakhshan, but 50 percent of the forests were destroyed during the decades of war. However, he said 252 hectares of the land had been again restored.

Ahmad Khan, a resident of Alani village said: “Pistachio harvests constitute a vital part of our livelihood but recently due to warm weather, wind and dust, the crop was damaged and its fruit turned black, resulting in a reduced production compared to previous years.”